SmartCert
SmartCert is a Montreal-based environmental consulting firm providing certification advisory, auditing, and ESG strategy services across 20+ sustainability standards (including FSC and Leading Harvest), serving forestry, agriculture, government, and international organization clients globally via a distributed consultant network.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2008
- HeadquartersMontreal, Canada
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What SmartCert does
SmartCert is a Canadian environmental consulting firm headquartered in Montreal, Quebec, with additional offices in Ottawa, Toronto, and Vancouver. Founded by Ugo Lapointe (biologist and former Rainforest Alliance certification portfolio manager) and Alexandre Boursier (professional forester since 1996 with prior country-manager experience at an international certification body), the firm delivers environmental certification advisory, sustainability auditing, ESG strategy, and stakeholder consultation services. It operates as an accredited certification body for the Leading Harvest farmland management standard and as an approved auditor under FSC and more than 20 other sustainability schemes.
The firm is not a technology platform — its offering is project-based professional services executed by a core team of roughly nine named experts plus a distributed network of collaborative consultants, supported by multilingual delivery capability (English, French, Spanish, Portuguese). Core methodology covers FSC forest management and chain-of-custody certification, FSC controlled-wood risk assessments, High Conservation Value (HCV) studies, Free Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC) processes, GHG inventories under ISO 14064 / ISO 14067 / GHG Protocol, Phase I Environmental Site Assessments, and ESG strategy advisory.
Revenue mechanics are anchored on four streams: fee-for-service consulting engagements (forest management planning, ESG strategy, impact assessments), certification auditing (including direct certificate issuance for Leading Harvest), customized training for companies and certification bodies, and third-party verification mandates commissioned by international bodies (FSC, SBP, WFP) and governments such as the Republic of Congo. Pricing is per-engagement and undisclosed; sales are consultative and relationship-driven, marketed primarily through a multilingual website, published FSC National Risk Assessment reports, and direct outreach to enterprise, NGO, and institutional clients.
SmartCert firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- SmartCert
- Legal name
- SmartCert
- Website
- https://smartcert.ca
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2008
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- SmartCert is a Montreal-based environmental consulting firm providing certification advisory, auditing, and ESG strategy services across 20+ sustainability standards (including FSC and Leading Harvest), serving forestry, agriculture, government, and international organization clients globally via a distributed consultant network.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
SmartCert industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Environmental Consulting and Sustainability Certification Services
- NAICS
- Environmental Consulting Services (54162), Other Scientific and Technical Consulting Services (54169)
- SIC
- Services-Services, Nec (8900)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Regulatory Compliance, Permitting & Audit Readiness (Food Safety, Environmental, Labor) (AFACAJAE)
Keywords
Where SmartCert is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Montreal
- HQ country
- Canada
- HQ region
- North America
Offices4 records
Markets served
SmartCert business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others
Revenue model
- Environmental consulting and advisory services: SmartCert provides fee-for-service consulting engagements including forest management planning, sustainable development strategy, ESG strategy, environmental impact assessments, Phase I Environmental Site Assessments, carbon/greenhouse gas inventories, and stakeholder consultation services. Engagements are project-based, typically billed per mandate.
- Certification auditing services: As a certification body for Leading Harvest and as an accredited auditor for FSC and other standards, SmartCert conducts audits and issues certificates. Annual audit fees are charged to certificate holders for maintaining certifications such as Leading Harvest. The firm also performs internal and external audits for third-party certification bodies.
- Training services: SmartCert offers customized training for companies, certification bodies, and communities on environmental and forest certification programs including FSC, ISO, and SAN. Training is delivered by experienced auditors and instructors.
- Third-party verification mandates: SmartCert is commissioned by international bodies (FSC, SBP, Republic of Congo government) to conduct independent assessments, risk assessments, and verifications. These government/multiateral mandates are paid engagements.
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels4 records
SmartCert product offering
Product offeringCore offering
SmartCert is a Canadian environmental consulting firm that helps enterprises obtain and maintain sustainability certifications, primarily FSC forest management and chain-of-custody, and serves as an accredited certification body for the Leading Harvest farmland management standard. Its services also include GHG/carbon inventories, sustainable forestry planning, FSC controlled-wood risk assessments, environmental studies, ESG strategy advisory, and internal and supplier audits across more than 20 environmental certification standards. The firm delivers these services globally through a multilingual team and an international consultant network.
Product overview
SmartCert is a professional consulting firm (not a software platform) offering a portfolio of environmental certification and sustainability advisory services. The core offerings include FSC forest management and chain of custody certification support, Leading Harvest agricultural certification (for which SmartCert serves as an accredited certification body), carbon/GHG inventory and management services, sustainable forestry planning, environmental studies, ESG strategy consulting, and internal/supplier auditing services. The company operates through offices in Canada (Montreal, Ottawa) and serves international clients through a global network of experts. SmartCert does not offer a software product or platform; all services are professional consulting engagements.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- FSC Certification Support Services Consulting and implementation services for Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) forest management (FM) and chain-of-custody (CoC) certifications, including the design of management systems that meet FSC requirements. Targeted at forestry companies, paper mills, sawmills, printers, and wood product manufacturers and distributors seeking to obtain or maintain FSC certification.
- Leading Harvest Certification Accredited certification body services for the Leading Harvest farmland management standard, including audits and issuance of certificates for agricultural operators seeking third-party validation of sustainable land management practices.
- Carbon/GHG Inventory and Management Services Greenhouse gas quantification and corporate climate strategy services, including carbon inventories, emissions monitoring, and corporate climate strategy development across forestry, agriculture, and manufacturing clients using ISO 14064, ISO 14067, ISO 50001, GHG Protocol, and VCS methodologies.
- Sustainable Forestry Planning Forest management planning support including FSC-compliant management plans, stakeholder consultations, and High Conservation Value (HCV) identification for forestry companies seeking sustainable forest management certification.
- Environmental Studies Environmental and social studies including impact assessments, Phase I Environmental Site Assessments, environmental compliance audits, and human-wildlife conflict characterization for industrial operators and conservation projects.
- ESG / Sustainable Development Strategy Advisory Advisory services for corporate environmental and social sustainability strategies, ESG policy development, and disclosure support, helping companies improve environmental and social performance and communicate results to stakeholders.
- FSC Risk Assessments Development and revision of FSC controlled wood national risk assessments for countries including Canada, Brazil, and Indonesia, supporting FSC's controlled wood framework and providing risk evaluation reports based on extensive stakeholder consultation.
- Internal and Supplier Audits Auditing services for FSC chain of custody, forest management, and various environmental standards including ISO 14001, ISO 9001, and other sustainability certifications, performed as internal audits or on behalf of certification bodies.
Quantifiable outcome
- 100% success rate: all companies supported for FSC chain-of-custody certification (48 sites 2018-2020; 24 sites 2021) obtained their FSC certificates
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use SmartCert
Customer profileNamed customers10 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles5 records
SmartCert technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature2 records
SmartCert partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Forevia CertificationcoreForevia Certification assumed management of the PGES (Programme de certification des pratiques de gestion des entreprises sylvicoles) program from SmartCert on April 23, 2026, after SmartCert managed it from April 14, 2025. SmartCert continues to be associated with the program during the transition. PGES is a certification program for forestry work contractors in Quebec's public forests.
- TakonecoreSmartCert has collaborated with Takone since 2020 to implement a sustainable forest management system for sandalwood (Santal) exploitation on Maré island, New Caledonia. SmartCert supported the FSC engagement process, including HCV reporting, external conflict management procedures, social consultation booklets, environmental and social management plan summaries, and annual monitoring reports.
- KinoméminorSmartCert formed a consortium with Kinomé to support the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) in a study on human-wildlife conflicts around Makira Natural Park, Madagascar, under the EU-funded Sustainable Wildlife Management Programme.
- Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS)minorWCS engaged the Kinomé/SmartCert consortium to carry out a characterization study of human-wildlife conflicts in villages around Makira Natural Park, Madagascar. WCS acts as the implementing organization for the EU-funded Sustainable Wildlife Management Programme.
- World Wildlife Fund (WWF)minorWWF commissioned SmartCert to conduct a study on the availability of information to map High Conservation Values (HCVs) in 15 countries in Northern and Eastern Europe.
- Republic of Congo - Ministry of Forest EconomycoreSmartCert acts as Independent Auditor of the Forest Legality System (AIS) for the Republic of Congo (mandate 2018-2019 and renewed 2022-2025). The firm audits the Congolese forest governance system and identifies gaps with the country's forest laws to help raise governance standards to the level where timber importers can be assured of legal timber sourcing.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
SmartCert competitors and assessment
Company assessmentEmerging players
- EarthCheck: EarthCheck is a sustainability certification and benchmarking company focused on the travel, tourism, and built environment sectors. While narrower than SmartCert in scope, it competes for sustainability certification mandates in adjacent environmental advisory markets.
Direct peers
- Control Union: Control Union is a global certification and inspection body operating in agriculture, forestry, and sustainability (FSC, ISCC, organic). It competes directly with SmartCert across multiple certification standards the firm supports and shares a similar project-based advisory model.
- Preferred by Nature: Preferred by Nature (formerly NEPCon) is an international non-profit offering FSC certification services, sustainability advisory, and forestry consulting globally. It is one of SmartCert's closest direct peers, serving the same FSC ecosystem with comparable accreditation and customer profile.
- Antea Group: Antea Group is an international environmental and sustainability consulting firm offering EHS compliance, ESG advisory, and certification support. It is a direct peer in environmental consulting services and competes for industrial and corporate ESG mandates.
- SCS Global Services: SCS Global Services is a major accredited certification body offering FSC, sustainability, and chain-of-custody audits. It directly competes with SmartCert in forestry and agricultural certification services, with overlapping standards coverage and similar enterprise advisory capabilities.
Broad incumbents
- NSF International: NSF International is a global public health and safety organization offering sustainability certification, auditing, and training services. It competes in adjacent environmental certification markets and offers overlapping standards (ISO 14001, sustainability standards) with SmartCert.
- SGS: SGS is one of the world's largest TIC firms offering sustainability, forestry, and agricultural certification services. It is a broad incumbent competing for enterprise ESG and certification mandates that overlap with SmartCert's FSC, ISO, and sustainability advisory work.
- Rainforest Alliance: Rainforest Alliance is a major international NGO that operates certification programs (including historic FSC portfolio work) and sustainability advisory. SmartCert's founders previously held senior roles at Rainforest Alliance, and the organization remains both a peer and historical relationship for FSC-related work.
- Bureau Veritas: Bureau Veritas is a global testing, inspection, and certification (TIC) incumbent offering sustainability, environmental, and supply-chain services. It competes for large enterprise mandates that overlap with SmartCert's portfolio, with broader capabilities but less forestry-specialist depth.
- ERM (Environmental Resources Management): ERM is a global sustainability and environmental consulting firm serving major corporates with ESG, climate, and supply-chain advisory. It competes for enterprise ESG strategy and climate-related mandates that overlap with SmartCert's carbon/GHG and ESG advisory services.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
SmartCert social profiles
Digital presenceSmartCert financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
SmartCert leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles9 records
SmartCert funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
SmartCert M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about SmartCert
What does SmartCert do?
SmartCert is a Canadian environmental consulting firm that helps enterprises obtain and maintain sustainability certifications, primarily FSC forest management and chain-of-custody, and serves as an accredited certification body for the Leading Harvest farmland management standard. Its services also include GHG/carbon inventories, sustainable forestry planning, FSC controlled-wood risk assessments, environmental studies, ESG strategy advisory, and internal and supplier audits across more than 20 environmental certification standards. The firm delivers these services globally through a multilingual team and an international consultant network.
Is SmartCert a public or private company?
SmartCert is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was SmartCert founded?
SmartCert was founded in 2008. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is SmartCert based?
SmartCert is headquartered in Montreal, Canada, in the North America region.
How does SmartCert make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Environmental consulting and advisory services are the primary driver. The others are certification auditing services, training services and third-party verification mandates.
Who are SmartCert's main competitors?
EarthCheck is listed as an emerging player. Direct peers are Control Union, Preferred by Nature, Antea Group and SCS Global Services. Broad incumbents are NSF International, SGS, Rainforest Alliance, Bureau Veritas and ERM (Environmental Resources Management).
Does SmartCert have an API?
No public API is recorded for SmartCert.
What industry is SmartCert in?
SmartCert's product category is Environmental Consulting and Sustainability Certification Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is AFACAJAE, Regulatory Compliance, Permitting & Audit Readiness (Food Safety, Environmental, Labor). Its NAICS code is 54162 and its SIC code is 8900.